Escalators have been widely used to move or transport people and goods up and down in buildings. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a conventional example of an escalator E which is partially exposed to show an inside structure. The escalator E includes steps 1 on a central portion of which users get on, and a handrail belt 2 made of rubber which moves on both sides of the steps 1 with a speed same as a speed of the steps 1. The steps 1 and the handrail belt 2 are driven by a drive mechanism provided separately to the steps 1 and the handrail belt 2.
The handrail belt 2 is slidably fitted and supported on a guide 3 which is formed to be rail shaped on a topside (upper side of the steps 1) of the escalator E. Moreover, the handrail belt 2 is supported by a plurality of guide rollers 4 provided on a belt transporting path at an under side (lower side of the steps 1) of the escalator E, and is moved by a drive operation of a driving mechanism 6 provided with a driving wheel 5.
Several tens of guide rollers 4, for example more than 30 guide rollers, are provided on the transporting path of the handrail belt 2, and the handrail belt 2 is supported to be guided by an outer circumferential surface of the guide rollers 4 (for example, refer to JP-A 08-259162 (KOKAI)).